Euro Nymph Line Setups // ESN Quick Tip

Summary

In this comprehensive guide, Joe from Red's Fly Shop addresses the most common question about setting up a Euro nymphal line and leader system for fly fishing. He discusses the advantages of a dedicated Euro nymph line, explains the benefits of a traditional fly line for versatility, and offers various setups to balance control and sensitivity. Joe also provides tips on leader customization, including modifying the leader for better drift and feel, and emphasizes the importance of practice and preparation before fishing.

Takeaways

• 🎣 The video discusses how to properly set up a Euro nymphal line and leader system for fly fishing.
• 🔍 Joe from Red's Fly Shop addresses the most common question about Euro nymph fishing setup, emphasizing the importance of feeling the strikes for an effective fishing experience.
• 💡 The video aims to be comprehensive, covering technical aspects and different line systems to help beginners understand the setup process.
• 🤔 The presenter shares his experience with various leader systems and suggests the best options for different fishing scenarios.
• 🎏 The true Euro nymphing setup with a dedicated ultra-light and sensitive rod is highly effective for controlling nymphs on a tight line.
• 📏 The thin diameter of the Euro nymphing line is crucial for its effectiveness and the feel of the rod.
• 🎈 For versatility, a traditional weight-forward floating line can be used but may reduce touch, feel, and control compared to a dedicated Euro nymphing line.
• 🔗 The video describes different ways to attach a leader to a traditional line, including using a mono-filament or a Euro nymphing shorty for convenience.
• 📝 Customizing the leader with finer diameter material and whiskers can enhance the presentation and control in the water.
• ✂️ The presenter suggests cutting the leader to an optimal length to prevent knots or connections from sliding in and out of the rod guides.
• 🛠 Essential materials for starting with Euro nymph fishing include indicator material, tippet rings, fluorocarbon leaders, jig head nymphs, and a Euro nymphing leader.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video?

The main topic of the video is how to properly set up a Euro nymphal line and leader system for fly fishing.

What is the advantage of using a tightline nymphing line?

The advantage of using a tightline nymphing line is that it provides a direct connection between the angler and the fish, allowing the angler to feel the strikes and have better control and touch when fishing with a sensitive rod.

What is the recommended starting leader for someone new to Euro nymphing?

The recommended starting leader for someone new to Euro nymphing is the Rio Euro Nymph Leader in the 0X to 2X range, which comes with a highly visible white butt section for better tracking of the presentation.

Why might an angler choose a traditional fly line over a dedicated Euro nymphing line?

An angler might choose a traditional fly line for versatility, to avoid carrying an extra spool, or to save on the additional cost of a dedicated Euro nymphing line, especially if they are unsure about how much they will enjoy this style of fishing.

What is a 'Euro Nymphing Shorty' and how does it work?

A 'Euro Nymphing Shorty' is a product that serves as a substitute for a long leader, allowing an angler to use a traditional fly line while still benefiting from the advantages of Euro nymphing. It is looped on both ends for easy connection and fishing.

What is the purpose of the whisker on the leader?

The whisker on the leader serves as a visual aid to help the angler see the drift and read the water, as well as to measure the depth and provide an indication of when the fly has made contact with the bottom.

Why is it important to keep the tippet ring just out of the water while fishing?

Keeping the tippet ring just out of the water is important to maintain the finest possible connection with the fly and the trout, ensuring the most sensitive detection of strikes and taps on the bottom.

How can an angler modify a factory leader to better suit their fishing needs?

An angler can modify a factory leader by cutting off excess length from the butt section and adding finer diameter indicator material for better control and presentation, as well as attaching a tippet ring for easy connection to the tippet.

What are some essential materials for starting with Euro nymphing?

Essential materials for starting with Euro nymphing include a suitable fly line, indicator material in various sizes, tip rings, absolute fluorocarbon leaders, tungsten jig head nymphs, and a Rio Euro Nymph Leader.

Why is it recommended to prepare and tie knots for Euro nymphing at home before going out to fish?

It is recommended to prepare and tie knots at home to ensure the setup is correct and efficient, making the fishing experience smoother and more successful. Tying knots can be difficult in the field, and practicing at home allows for better knot quality and familiarity with the setup.

Outlines

00:00

🎣 Introduction to Euro Nymphal Line Setup

Joe from Red's fly shop introduces the video's focus on setting up a Euro nymphal line and leader system, addressing the most common questions from customers who've recently purchased new rods. He emphasizes the importance of feeling the strikes and the addictive nature of tightline nymph fishing. Joe promises a comprehensive guide to help beginners understand the different line systems, their pros and cons, and how to choose the right one for their needs.

05:00

🔍 Choosing the Right Line System for Versatility

The script discusses different line systems for versatility in fishing. Joe explains the trade-offs between using a dedicated Your Own Imping (YOI) line and a traditional weight-forward floating line. He points out that while the YOI line offers superior sensitivity and control, the traditional line can be more versatile for various fishing scenarios, despite reducing touch and feel. Joe also mentions the advantages of a traditional line in handling large trout and the potential for less line breakage due to the thicker diameter.

10:01

🎨 Customizing Your Leader for Enhanced Fishing Experience

Joe delves into the customization of the fishing leader, starting with the Rio YOI leader and explaining how to enhance it for better performance. He suggests using a finer diameter material, like a 4X tippet, to improve the drift and reduce the impact of wind and current. Joe demonstrates how to add whiskers to the leader for depth measurement and provides tips on cutting and tying the leader to optimize the fishing experience. He emphasizes the importance of practicing at home before going out to fish.

15:04

⚖️ Adjusting Leader Length for Optimal Drift

The final paragraph focuses on adjusting the leader length for an optimal drift. Joe explains how to determine the right length of the leader by casting and observing where the connection point should be outside the rod tip. He advises cutting off the excess leader material and tying a perfection loop for easy swapping of leaders. The summary also includes essential materials needed for setting up the line and leader system and encourages preparation at home for a successful fishing experience.

Keywords

💡Euro Nymphal Line

The 'Euro Nymphal Line' refers to a specific type of fishing line used in the European nymphing technique, which is known for its thinness and sensitivity. It is central to the video's theme as it is the main equipment discussed for setting up a nymph fishing system. The script mentions that this line is 'extremely thin' and 'so effective' due to its diameter and the way it works with a lightweight rod, enhancing the angler's feel and control over the fly.

💡Tightline Nymphing

Tightline nymphing is a fishing method where the line is kept as tight as possible to the water's surface to increase sensitivity and control. It is a key concept in the video as it describes the type of fishing the presenter is focusing on. The script emphasizes the importance of 'tightline nymphing' by stating that it provides a 'direct connection between you and the fish' and allows the angler to 'feel the strikes'.

💡Indicator

An 'indicator' in fly fishing is a device or material used to help the angler see when the fly has hit the water or when a fish is about to take the fly. The script discusses the importance of indicators in the context of nymph fishing, mentioning that they help in 'reading and understanding what my drift is doing' and are part of the customization of the fishing leader.

💡Leader System

A 'leader system' in fly fishing is the section of the line that extends from the end of the fly line to the fly itself, which can include a tippet and sections of different materials. The video script discusses various leader systems, such as the 'true euro nymph' and 'traditional flight line' setups, and their impact on fishing effectiveness and versatility.

💡Rod Sensitivity

Rod sensitivity is the ability of a fishing rod to transmit the vibrations and movements from the line and the fly to the angler's hand. It is a crucial aspect discussed in the script, especially when comparing the feel of a 'true euro nymph line' to a 'traditional fly line'. The script notes that the weight of the line can affect the rod's sensitivity, with a lighter line providing 'better feel and touch'.

💡Tippet

A 'tippet' is a section of the fishing line that connects the fly to the main fishing line or leader. It is often made of a lighter and more delicate material to not spook the fish. The script discusses the importance of the tippet in the nymph fishing setup, mentioning the need for at least four feet of tippet at the end of the leader for better control and presentation.

💡Whisker

A 'whisker' in the context of the video refers to an additional piece of indicator material tied into the leader to help the angler see the fly and read the drift. The script describes how to add a whisker to the leader for better visibility and control, stating that it helps in 'measuring depth' and 'understanding what my drift is doing'.

💡Duracell Nymph

The 'Duracell Nymph' is a specific type of fly used in nymph fishing, mentioned in the script as an example of a fly that could be used in the described setup. It illustrates the type of equipment that might be used in conjunction with the discussed leader and line systems.

💡Loop-to-Loop Connection

A 'loop-to-loop connection' is a method of connecting two sections of line by forming a loop in each and then tying them together. The script discusses this connection method as a way to manage the length of the leader outside the rod tip, ensuring that the connection stays outside the rod guides for better performance.

💡Perfection Loop

A 'perfection loop' is a type of knot used to create a strong and smooth loop in a fishing line. The script mentions using a perfection loop to manage the end of the leader, allowing for quick changes and ensuring that the leader does not slide through the rod guides.

💡Versatility

Versatility in the context of the video refers to the ability of a fishing setup to be used for different fishing conditions or techniques. The script discusses the trade-offs between using a dedicated euro nymph line versus a traditional fly line, with the latter offering more versatility for different fishing scenarios.

Highlights

Introduction to the video on setting up a Euro nymphal line and leader system.

The importance of a tightline nymphing setup for feeling strikes and effective fishing.

Different line systems and their pros and cons for the Euro nymph game.

Advantages of a true Euro nymph line for a dedicated rod.

The ultra-light and sensitive nature of a 10 to 10.5 foot rod for nymph fishing.

Loop-de-loop connection for a Euro nymph line to maintain rod tip integrity.

Versatility of a traditional fly line for various fishing conditions.

The trade-off between control and versatility when using a traditional fly line.

Using a traditional line for larger trout to avoid tippet breakage.

Three ways to handle a traditional fly line setup for nymph fishing.

The concept of a Euro nymph 'shorty' as an alternative to a long leader.

Customizing a Euro nymph leader with a 0X to 2X tippet for better presentation.

The impact of leader material diameter on drift and presentation.

Technique for modifying a leader with finer material to improve drift.

Using a whisker on the leader to measure depth and improve drift control.

Adjusting leader length for optimal drift and rod tip management.

Essential materials for starting with Euro nymph fishing and leader setup.

Recommendation to practice leader setup at home before fishing.

Transcripts

it's Joe at Red's fly shop here and I'm

gonna field the week's most common

question and that is how to properly set

up your euro nymphal line and leader

system we've been selling a lot of Euro

new fing rods and people want to do it

right and there's pros and cons to the

different kind of line systems that you

use this is going to be a fairly lengthy

video but if you're in the Euro nymph

and game and you're just kind of getting

into it I think you're gonna find it

extremely useful and I'm gonna try to

make it comprehensive to answer a lot of

questions all in one video so your own

imping is tightline nymphal no strike

indicator direct connection between you

and the fly but more importantly you and

the fish you are going to feel the

strikes and the first time you have a

fish intercept they fly under tension

that you're bringing downstream it is

super addictive so and it can be highly

effective too as well so I'm gonna try

to stick more on the technical stuff so

I've dabbled with all sorts of different

leader systems over the last couple

years and getting into this trying to

help the general public better

understand how to get themselves set up

I'm gonna start with the best system for

somebody who has a dedicated your own in

f---ing rod and that's just what they're

gonna do with it there really isn't a

better system than a true you're a nymph

aligned take a look at how skinny that

is that's why that line is so effective

right there it is extremely thin and the

skinny diameter of that when you have a

rod that's a 10 foot to weight or a 10

and a half foot 3 weight that rod is

ultra light ultra sensitive and we pay

top dollar for those because the rod

makes a huge difference in controlling a

little nymph like that on a tight line

ok so the thin line the weight of that

line as it goes out the rod tip doesn't

preload and bend the rod at all and you

have really good feel and touch when I

use a your own imping line like this

I have it loop-de-loop connection and

that stays that is going to be connected

to my leader and that is gonna stay out

my rod tip so I don't have knots or

connections sliding in and out of my

guides if I'm gonna shoot a little bit

of line I'm not

making long casts but I might shoot 10

feet of line this shoots and casts much

better than the alternative systems that

I'm going to talk about ok so true your

own imping setup you're gonna be

dedicated to it you're gonna do it right

just get the Rio your own imping line

there's a link in the video description

to get that line now if you have a setup

that you want to be versatile maybe

you're gonna you're gonna pack one rod

down the hill and you're gonna fish all

day and you might throw some dry flies

you might even throw a small streamer or

a dry fly drop or something like that

you want to have use of a traditional

fly line but you don't want to carry

another spool or you're just getting

into this and you're not sure how much

you're gonna like it you don't want to

spend the extra 60 bucks on the line I

get it trust me

I own a lot of stuff and I want to make

sure when I buy something it's wise one

thing you can do is this is a

traditional three weight floating line I

want you to notice right away how much

thicker that line is kay that's a weight

forward floating line it's a scientific

anglers line pretty standard taper much

thicker than this when the weight of

this line is laid out through all ten to

ten and a half or even eleven feet of

that rod the weight of this reduces the

touch and feel and control that you have

with that fine rod okay so the other

thing is when this extra line weight is

hanging out that rod tip believe it or

not we're feeling for subtle strikes on

those tiny nips this will deteriorate

that control you have just that

additional weight now you can still be

effective doing that okay it's just not

as good as a traditional gyro tandem

fishing line so what I like to do is

I'll use both systems from time to time

and I will still use a traditional

flight line like this knowing that I'm

going to lose a little bit of control

one of the upsides to a traditional line

like this that I want to mention is the

thin diameter of that line when I hook a

large trout on a river like this right

here it's a pretty good sized stream I'm

gonna expect that trout to take off and

it's gonna peel line all the way across

the river at times when that trout is is

dragging a large thick diameter line

like this around on five or six

it'll break my tippet just based on the

load it doesn't matter how light my drag

is if it's towing 40 or 50 feet of line

up and up current especially it'll break

the line just by dragging this around if

it's just dragging this around I don't

lose nearly as many fish so I want to

make sure that's clear to you as well

but if I have a system or setup and I

might throw dry flies I might throw an

indicator I might you run in a

traditional fly line is a good way to go

there's three ways you can handle a

traditional fly line setup one is I can

simply just attach my Rio gyro NIM

f---ing leader to the end of this and

I'm it's hunky-dory and I go your own in

fishing understanding that I lose a

little bit of control and finesse and

that's fine

super simple turnkey but it's not going

to get you the best presentation of the

most control the next setup is that I

dabbled with really a lot was just

simply using 20 feet of mono

at the end of my line and running this

mono all the way back to my reel and I

get pretty good touch and control with

that system because I don't have weight

of the line going through all down 10 to

11 feet of that really finely tapered

your a rod that mono works pretty good

but it's kind of a pain to handle I can

stretch the memory out of it and get it

pretty straight but it's just not the

same as handling like a traditional fly

line it just it isn't quite as easy of a

feel but it keeps me it keeps me

versatile I could throw on that long

leader that I've built and I could take

it on and off when I wanted your own

m/vs do those other strategies like a

small stream or a dry fly or an

indicator or something like that so

that's one option is the long mono

attached to the leader the third option

for using a traditional fly line like

this is something called a euro nipping

shorty we sell the Rio your own imping

shorties they're pretty dang handy and

they're essentially a substitute for

this long leader that I was talking

about putting on there except they cost

a little bit more I think they're thirty

bucks for that but they're pretty handy

and they allow me to use a traditional

fly line and essentially put on the end

of my traditional fly line a euro nymph

in

lying on the end it's looped on both

ends easy to hook up easy to fish with

pretty handy instrument right there and

there's a link to that product in the

video description as well with that

being said before I start in on how to

set up a leader that's a handle that

question the shop every day as does

Bobby when he's on the phone to a windy

out here is you can also use this line

and you can turn this line around

backwards and get twice the use out of

it I want to make sure that I point that

out so if you're thinking that you want

to have one of these shorties you can

also convert this into one of those two

if you're okay tying an Albright knot or

even a nail Mont there's some options

where you can actually make your own

shorty out of a your own imping line and

it's hardly any more money maybe more on

that later but for those of you that are

capable of doing those knots are

probably thinking what I'm thinking cut

that in half have two of these things

and you could still be modular and put

it on the end of this line and have a

longer line than this shorty is so

regarding leaders okay so those are the

options hope those make sense to you

there's no wrong way to do it there's

just some pros and cons to each one now

I want to set up my leader so I suggest

everybody starts there you're an infant

journey with just a Rio your own imping

leader as you get better at this you're

gonna find a couple of things I

recommend starting which is the 0 X 2 X

they make one called the technical

leader but I think that you probably

want to start with a little bit heavier

one the nice thing about these leaders

again there's a link in the video

description there is the white butt

section that this comes with it makes it

highly visible so I can track my

presentation and I can see it quite well

it tapers down to what we call the side

er down here the leader makes a profound

difference in your presentation okay and

as I've gotten better and better at this

and I've gotten better at teaching my

students that come out and learn with me

on the river

I found a certain ways to set these

leaders up for quick success so you can

see there's a color change after the

where it goes from white to pink and

then alternating colors and this is a 2x

piece of cider material now one thing I

want to explain to you and then there's

a Rio tip it ring on the end that's the

large size that's easier to tie okay so

one thing I want to explain to you is

that when you dip this 2x iter into the

water

the current pushing on that large

diameter line is significant and it is

gonna it is going to disrupt your drift

you can see the wind pushing on that

right there okay and that's just a very

light breeze at the moment that's just

like the current the current is gonna

push the larger diameter that is the

more the current is gonna push on that

okay so I try to set up at the end of my

leader with at least four feet of tippet

and what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna do

this real time here okay

and I've done this on other videos but

I'm going to show you how to make a

really easy modification using this

material to greatly enhance your factory

leader okay so I'm gonna cut about 18

inches of the 4x 2 tone indicator

material alright you can see it's much

finer diameter it is maybe 1/3 the

diameter or less and I'm gonna do a

triple surgeon's knot okay

nothing fancy here you guys I'm just

gonna tie it up right there like that

I'm gonna wet the knot so it doesn't

melt and I'm gonna be left with two tags

there okay and those tags are now going

to be whiskers to help me see my cider

and read and understand what my drift is

doing I generally do to wind I don't

need two tags in one spot the more junk

I have tied on there the more breeze

will disrupt it I'm gonna take that

whisker right there and I'm gonna tie a

little half hitch around the main line

it's very easy don't be intimidated

you're gonna have to play around with

this a little bit and then that's gonna

come out at about 90 degrees so I'm

gonna straighten it a little bit and now

I have a marker okay I don't want to

fish with that whisker below the surface

of the water

because this is my heavy diameter cider

up here it's going to be a poor drift

when I dip this in now if I dip the 4x

cider material into the water that's

very thin I can actually dip and I can

measure my way down maybe and I'll

finish the leader here and I'll explain

the rest of this and it's actually a lot

easier to explain on the shore versus

fishing but I'm going to tie this tippet

ring back on and when you cut tippet

rings and deal with them always leave a

little bit of material attached to them

because they're really small and hard to

deal with so anytime you cut those off

always leave a little bit of the

material on there so that green I just

had left on there that's a pro tip right

there you're welcome people so now I've

got my tip ring reinstalled

I've got thin cider material on the

bottom I've got a whisker which will

help me measure depth now we're gonna

pretend I have say four feet of 5x

fluorocarbon on the end of this right

now

and I've got maybe my anchor my jig

prints nymph right there there's a link

to that fly in the video description

that makes a good large anchor fly and

I've got a Duracell nymph right there

and I'm not going to go through the

whole nymph setup that's been done on

enough videos already but what I want to

show you is I've got my tippet ring at

the end and I'm gonna make a

presentation and I'm gonna I'm gonna

find the bottom and I'm gonna lead that

fly through and my goal is to keep that

tippet ring just out of the water most

of the time so that I'm getting the

finest possible connection with the fly

and the trout now if I fail to make

connection with the bottom or I fail to

get a strike and I'm not I'm not either

feeling the fly tap the bottom or

reading my cider to see cuz usually what

will happen is my cider will be dipping

in like this and it'll tap or tick or

give me some type of indication that

I've made contact if I'm failing to make

contact on my first drift what I'll do

is I'll just go a little bit deeper so

my cider is closer to the water surface

little bit deeper a little bit deeper a

little bit deeper and eventually I may

get up to this whisker right there and I

know exactly how deep I'm measuring down

and adren

every drift might not be the same the

beauty of this system is I may start my

drift very shallow early in the drift

and then I may fish down a little

depression and bring my nips and down a

hill or down a riffle but that's my

leader system the only other

modification that I'm going to show you

right here is what ends up happening is

we we have a long leader here and this

leader comes 11 to 12 feet it says on

the package which winds up being way too

long and I'm just gonna loop to loop

this connection in here and I'm gonna

show you what happens and I do this in

all of the classes that I teach we

determine after a couple of casts how

much of this but section on the leader

we need to take out so on average

there's not an exact formula here but on

average my cider is gonna wind up being

about three feet long with a whisker

about a third of the way up from the

bottom with finer cider material here

heavier cider material there so I have

about three feet here and the bud

sections on these very is slight bit but

I've got about six feet there and then

I've got all another three feet what

ends up happening is this connection we

want that loop-de-loop connection right

there we want that outside the rod tip

whether it's on a traditional fly line

like this or on one of those Rio your

own imping lines it doesn't matter

I want that connection outside my rod

tip okay with this leader being as long

as it is there's no way when it's a

factory leader that that's going to stay

out my rod tip for most practical

fishing purposes so after a few casts I

try to determine where my optimal drift

is and where that should be so my

optimal drift I might cast fifteen to

twenty-five feet in

present Oh about ten to 15 feet of water

in front of me this is these we're

taking very small bites out of the river

here after I throw a couple of casts

this loop the loop connection is gonna

be somewhere down inside my rod once I

found my optimal drift ranch case it

might be this far down my rod it might

be this far down my rod if I'm using an

11-footer

whatever the distance is I'm gonna look

up my rod and I'm gonna go okay that's

two feet down my rod and it doesn't have

to be exact but what I'm gonna do is I'm

gonna come to this leader and I'm gonna

cut a certain length off and I'm just

gonna estimate right there for my ten

and a half foot to ten foot rods and I'm

gonna retie I'm just gonna get rid of

that butt section material because I do

not want that connection inside going

sliding in and out of my rod tips and

will drive you absolutely insane people

so now what I'm gonna do

there's other videos on this I'm not

gonna teach you how to tie perfection

loop on this video but I'm gonna I'm

gonna come here and I'm going to tie a

little perfection loop and you can do an

Albright knot you can do a nail knot and

I'm just gonna use that to pull that

through there not to cut it yet

you can do it Albright knot you can do a

nail knot there are some other systems

you can do I tend to keep my stuff

pretty modular because I'm changing

leaders for my students and things quite

a bit and I'll tie a perfection loop in

the end of that so that I can swap that

leader out I can put it on another rod

if I need to really really quickly but

some people will take and they will tie

on a nail knot or a perfection loop and

then use like some UV resin so it does

slide through the guides a little bit

easier I tend to find people are most

successful when we keep that loop the

loop connection completely outside the

rod tip so essential materials I'd say

for getting started here you're gonna

have to make a decision on the fly line

like I said you're going to be a gyro

nymph or just get the right line do it

right if you're gonna dabble with it a

little bit you have some options for the

fly line but the essential materials

outside your fly line selection are

going to be

get some indicator material of a couple

different sizes I keep 2 3 4 & 5 X on my

kit bag all the time get some tip it

rings the scientific anglers absolute

fluorocarbon leaders the best get that

and then tungsten jig head nymphs Reds

has 'm we got links to all this stuff in

the video description and then of course

a Rio your own imping leader to just

kind of start the whole process and then

you'll figure out how to custom

customize these things a little bit but

but by all means before you go stand in

the river in the wind and think you're

gonna tie all this up prepare it home a

little bit get your system dialed in tie

these knots in the comfort of your own

living room like on the couch for

instance before you go out there to make

sure that you're set up and you're able

to do that right